To ask how to relieve breast pain when not BF.. Day 4 PP

[EmbarrasingOne]

Baby born Tues early hrs.
Milk came thro yesterday.. Over night my breasts have enlarged so much that I put my biggest bra on and its broke the claps at the back with the strain.
I remember this with dd and ds. However this time they're so hard and painful. Plus toddler keeps knocking into me as she's very clingy and I have to keep pushing her away.
Even hurts to. Hold baby or move my arms.

I normally have a high pain threshold. But I'd sooner labour than this.

Poor you , I remember this well.

The engorgement won’t last too long. Take paracetamol regularly. Also do you have some nursing bras ? I will find some links for you.

Are you using Lansinoh? Use it generously - keep your nipples coated in it , this will help prevent them getting sore.

There are some great websites which will have useful info - I will find some for you and post links

I found these great during the daytime :

iLoveSIA Womens Maternity Nursing Bra 3Pack Beige+Black+Pink M Fit 32CD 34BC 36AB www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B010RYWGF0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FNPkEbHVE3DC8?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Green cabbage leaves straight form the fridge into your bra. Also decongestant reduces supply so maybe some Sudafed to help dry up your milk quicker.

This kind of thing was good at night :

www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/2-pack-maternity-nursing-sleep-bras-a9252.html

Don’t wear your normal bras (especially not underwired) if you can afford specialist nursing bras get some

Oh god, I remember that couple of days, it was my lowest point after birth. Horrendous.

Yes, pp’s suggestion of cabbage leaves give a surprising amount of relief. It won’t last long, though no doubt doesn’t feel like that now.

This is the link for Lansinoh products

lansinoh.co.uk/products/

The Lanolin cream is essential in my view - you can get it in the pharmacy or amazon. I also used their breast pads which were soft and helped with leakage

Yy to cabbage leaves, painkillers, supportive bra. Add in some rest (ha!) and it'll be over soon.

I haven't got underwired.
Will try the cabbage leaves but I'm. Struggling to even fit a pad in there. The biggest one I had the clasp keeps buckling open. So it's trying to sort that to go anywhere to get a bra which is a pain.

Have the nipple cream so will use that

Dh will get a cabbaee when drops dd to my mum for the morning. Thank you.

I wore a tight crop top over a non wired bra with the straps pulled tight.

Are there any local breastfeeding groups you could go along to ? There will be expert advice available there and I did find it helpful - I am not a breast feeding fanatic , the people there were mostly normal and nice ! Good luck - you are doing great and it will get easier xx

I used Sudafed to dry my milk up after bf for two years, it worked very quickly.

Stand in the shower -you need heat. It will release a load of milk and the pressure will go down.

Wet 2 face cloths, put them in the freezer for a while til they're very cold and hold them on your breasts.

I think things like decongestants and antihistamines can help to dry your milk up.

Not sure if you mean you are not bf at all or just sore between feeds?

If it’s not at all go see your GP, if it’s that sore you could be at risk of mastitis.

If between feeds gently express by hand just enough to relieve the pain before latching baby on. Don’t express much as this will stimulate more milk production. A hot bath helps too, might be awkward to get your breasts under the water but it massively helps.

@Lazypuppy releasing milk will signal to her body to make more so even if it provides temporary relief if she's trying to dry up her milk it won't help.

Sorry not BF at all.

Oh sorry I read this wrong and thought you were planning to breast feed . If you are not then you probably don’t want to be buying the bras sorry!

That's ok.. I have typed very sleepily so may not have made sense.

@29goodgodingovan yes i do know how breastfeeding works, however I remember the pain of swollen breasts and read it like OP needed a quick fix.

A 2 minute burst of heat is not going to cause much to be produced but would completely reduce the pain

Epsom salts dry your milk up too! You can get them to go in your bath. If you start to feel unwell at all, see the gp!!

I used to have dreadfully inverted nipples (grade 3, the worst- since cosmetically fixed). I would've loved to have fb but couldn't. However I produced enough milk to feed a nation and it actually took about 3 months to go away fully. It was bloody painful and standing in the shower with milk pouring down my chest was the only way to alleviate the engorgement at the beginning. I got through a lot of breast pads and cabbage leaves. Must be Savoy cabbage, the wrinkly one.

I read very sleepily too! I remember standing under a hot shower did help with engorgement - and if you are not breastfeeding you can take stronger pain killers. Can your DH get to a pharmacy and buy the strongest over the counter painkillers for you? Sending you a hug - it’s such horrible pain but hopefully won’t last too long . If it starts to look at all red get straight to the GP in case it’s mastitis developing x

Don’t stand in the shower to get a let down - awful advice.
If you remove the milk at all, your body will make more to replace it, thus prolonging the agony.

You need the darkest green Savoy cabbage you can and put it in the fridge, using a leaf against each boob.
Tight vest top if you can’t get a bra on?
Try your best not to touch/stimulate your breasts at all, lots of simple analgesia ie paracetamol and ibuprofen, and I’d also think about a decongestant to try and dry things up a bit, too. They’re not recommended for breastfeeding mothers for that reason - won’t make a huge difference but may help a bit.